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Raja Jackson, son of former UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, entered his plea in court on Thursday after finally being charged with felony battery and misdemeanor battery. Raja was arrested in September after he brutally assaulted “Syko Stu” (real name: Stuart Smith) during a Knokx Pro Wrestling event in Los Angeles in August.
The 25-year-old Raja Jackson, who faces up to seven years in prison if convicted, pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against him by the Los Angeles District Attorney’s office. Those charges also include prosecutors seeking heavier sentencing because Stuart Smith suffered “great bodily injury.”
The beating left Smith in critical condition in the hospital after Jackson attacked him in the ring with 22 punches to the head before being pulled off by other wrestlers, including Douglas Malo, is largely responsible for finally putting an end to the attack.
Raja Jackson, who is currently out of jail on bail, is due back in court Nov. 24 for a preliminary hearing. He has yet to publicly address the incident which was all captured on a live-stream he was conducting at the time of the attack.
Douglas Malo shares several updates on ‘Syko Stu’
Speaking to TMZ this week, Douglas Malo provided numerous updates on how “Syko Stu” is doing and what his future may hold.
“Now that they’re finally going ahead with charges, I am happy, but I’m disappointed in [Raja Jackson] for not reaching out and apologizing. Not trying to make amends in any way possible, just kind of staying in the dark,” Malo said. “And I feel like, you know, I said earlier I would want the best for him if he were to get mental health treatment and seek some type of evaluation. But if he hasn’t taken any steps now to do that, you know, that kind of shows where his head’s at, you know? Like he’s not taking any accountability.”
When asked what the latest news is on Stuart Smith’s health is, Douglas Malo replied, “I talked to his friends and I’ve talked to his wife. If I were to talk to him it would in my opinion it would directly link that trauma to our conversation and it might take away from his healing. So I’ve just kind of stayed off in the distance, but there is going to be an event for Stu with Valor Pro Wrestling around November 15th. I plan on seeing him there. So that I can’t wait for that. That’ll give me some closure. I can’t wait to hug the guy and everything because, you know, I work 60-70 hours a week as it is. So for me to just go up and visit him in the high desert, it’s almost impossible. And I’ve been running around on the weekend, so like this will be finally some closure.”
‘Syko Stu’ unlikely to return to wrestling
As for making a return to the wrestling ring at some point down the road, Douglas Malo said he spoke to Stu’s friend that will be putting on the event for him and he doesn’t think that will happen.
“I don’t think being in the ring would work ever again,” Malo said. “I think it would be kind of cool if maybe we could reverse the roles and play it up to where maybe I get beat up in the ring and he comes out, you know, with his music to the the apron and sends people in. You know what I mean? Like, I think that’s as far as we could go from here, but I don’t even think it would be smart at this point. That was a lot of damage he received plus the what he was already dealing with [he was already suffering from PTSD].”